Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of aid incontributing to the development of (a) economic opportunity and (b) civil society in the Palestinian Authority. [73843]Mr. Foulkes: Assistance from donors, including the Department for International Development, has been crucial in attempting tofoster development in the West Bank and Gaza, although the weakness of the peace process and reduction in opportunities to work inIsrael has led to a growth in poverty. We are working to help the Palestinian Authority to build a legal and institutional frameworkin which the private sector and civil society can flourish. But greater transparency and accountability is required, and economicopportunity remains constrained by severely restricted access to outside markets.